State Briefs 6/25/09

PEORIA — A 2-year-old girl who fell out of her grandmother’s van and was run over by a rear wheel last week died Wednesday night.

Elise M. Nelms was pronounced dead about 7:30 p.m. Wednesday at OSF Saint Francis Medical Center. An autopsy is scheduled for Friday, but Peoria County Coroner Johnna Ingersoll said the toddler sustained multiple injuries to the head and chest.

Nelms, the daughter of Lottie Sloan, was taken off life support after her condition deteriorated, Ingersoll said.

The incident happened June 17. According to Peoria police, Nelms was in a booster seat and freed herself, then opened a sliding door to the minivan. When grandmother Orlean Chittick pulled forward, the child fell out of the vehicle and was then run over by the rear driver’s side tire.

Peoria Journal Star

Battery maker heavily involved in hybrids lays off 15

PEORIA – Even Firefly Energy Inc., the Peoria company that wants to revolutionize the world of lead-acid batteries, is not exempt from the economic downturn.

Co-founder Mil Ovan confirmed Wednesday that 15 people have been laid off from the company's headquarters.

Firefly received a $2 million grant from the U.S. military last year. That followed a separate $7 million development contract Firefly received from the U.S. government in 2007.

Ovan said the future of battery development remains bright and hopes to rehire workers in the near future. He said the company is still in the running for federal stimulus funds.

Firefly's proposal focuses on the development of two different car batteries - one for micro hybrids and another for plug-in hybrids. Micro hybrids offer gas engines that average 5 percent fuel savings with features such as regenerative braking and an engine shut-off while the car is at a stoplight. Plug-in hybrids provide an electric motor that can be recharged.

Peoria Journal Star

Man convicted in 5-month-old son’s death sentenced to 100 years

PEORIA – A man convicted of murder in the death of his 5-month-old son was sentenced to 100 years in prison Thursday.

James Sargent, 24, was convicted in April of first-degree murder. Prosecutors Donna Cruz and Nancy Mermelstein argued the infant’s diaper wasn’t changed for at least five days and possibly up to a week. He wasn’t bathed for about nine days. His last meal likely came three to four days before he was found, lifeless, on Feb. 12, 2008. Prolonged exposure to that unchanged diaper caused his skin to be eaten away and allowed bacteria to seep into his body, ultimately causing his death.

Sargent’s attorney William Loeffel contended his client was mentally ill and suffered from a slew of problems, all of which contributed to his neglect of the child.

The boy’s mother, Sargent’s former girlfriend Tracy Hermann, 22, of Peoria, faces the same charges and is scheduled for trial in October.

Peoria Journal Star

Man ‘listening to coyotes’ arrested on meth manufacturing charges

RUDEMENT – A man who claimed he was out listening for coyotes was arrested on charges of possessing methamphetamine manufacturing materials last week.

Saline County Sheriff’s Deputy Jerod Campbell stopped a suspicious truck on private property last Friday night. The driver, Joshua Michael Gibbs, 29, of Carrier Mills, claimed he was out listening for coyotes. According to a police report, Campbell smelled what he believed to be ether, an ingredient commonly used in manufacturing meth.

Gibbs told Campbell he was supposed to drop off a bag of crushed Sudafed pills – commonly used in meth making –at the Rudement Social Brethren Church at midnight and he had driven to where he was stopped by Campbell to kill some time.

Inside Gibbs' truck deputies found salt, rubber hose attached to bottle caps, lithium batteries, the bag of 68 grams of crushed Sudafed and a small plastic bag with a white powder substance that field tested positive for meth.